For this hour of my teaching observations I observed an EPIK class. The class was comprised of children at the elementary grade age, and the students all have the same L1- Korean.
Initially right at the beginning I found it interesting how the students only said “I’m fine thank you, and you?” I’m pretty sure one of the first things they learn is this response. I wonder if the students are actually just fine, or if they don’t know how to respond and this phrase they feel most comfortable with. The two teachers appeared to work well together, each knowing where to step in at the right time. The class was pretty fast paced, but the students appeared to be engaged the entire time. The teachers looked like they were giving out some sort of award when the students answered correctly, and that may help with engagement. Also, the students appeared to expect to be called on, which would also keep them focused on the lesson at hand. It looked like the students were familiar with the format of the class, which can increase their comfort while increasing their confidence. Being able to predict what will happen next in a class can keep the students from feeling lost and unsure.
One thing I noticed, and I don’t really know if it matters or not, and I don’t know why it would be like this, but the class was sat boy-girl. I can’t think of why, and I don’t remember being sat like that while I was in elementary school. Since I’m not sure of the reasoning, I can’t really say if I would incorporate this into my own teaching. I think with these classes it’s probably how they sit for the duration of the school day, and probably something the primary teacher has determined. I would really like to know why though!
When asked to answer questions that went beyond repeating what was directly said the students became much quieter. Was this the teachers way of pushing their comfort level and increasing their learning? The class seemed quite structured and focused on a textbook perhaps. The teacher’s explanations seemed to go back and forth a bit, and if I were to teach the class I think I would need to write out the rules to make sure they flowed smoothly. I know this is something I myself needs to work on so I know I will need to make sure I write the rules out so I don’t confuse the students. While there is a teacher there who can speak Korean to the students, getting instructions in the target language could add another layer of complexity, and maybe stress, to the students. In my teaching practice I will need to keep this in mind.
